Multi-card holder



Sept. 18, 1956 L. w. SPARROW MULTI-CARD HOLDER Filled Aug. 23, 1954 29 a FIG-4 I?! 5| FIG-5 as as 5 FIG-6 INVBVTOR. LLOYD WILLIAM smaaow BY 7 FIG-7 ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflice MULTI-CARD HOLDER 7 Lloyd William Sparrow Springfield Ohio aslgnor to The Springfield Leathei' Products 03m Springfield, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 23, 1954, Serial No. 451,356

11 Claims. 01. 150-39 This invention relates to multi-card holders and has particular reference to pass cases or pass card retainers of improved construction.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a structure of a multi-card holder in which the components making up the holder are so arranged that a multiplicity of cards, photographs, etc. therein are readily presented for viewing while the structure itself is foldable compactly and conveniently for carrying on the person.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a novel pass card retainer for use in conjunction with a backing, the backing and retainer being lockable together and the pass card retainer being foldable within the backing.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of the multi-card holder of invention with the holder open;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the holder of Figure 1 with the pass card retainer also opened;

Figure 3 is a right side elevational view of the structure of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the pass card retainer of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modification of the structure of Figure 2; and

2,763,311 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 member 3 suitably only at the fold line 13 and for this purpose the vinyl of the folded material has a fold line 37 corresponding to the fold line of the member 3 and the vinyl is electronically welded to the backing member at the fold lines.

Extending on each side of the fold line 13 from the vinyl weld are wing portions 39, 41 of the card retainer 15 which are also most suitably in the form of pass card elements similar to those at 21 and 23, the wing portion 39 being open at 43 and the wing portion 41 being open at 45 for the receipt of pass cards. These wing portions at their bottom edges are electronically welded at 47, 49, respectively, to secure the sheet portions together and the welds form flexible integral hinge connections similar to those at 25, 27.

The sheet forming the pass card retainer is cut-out lengthwise between the series elements 21, 23 up to the transverse connection at fold line 37. The sheet edges at 51, 53 are preferably welded together as is the edge at 55 to seal the pass card elements.

The spacing 57 (Figure 1) thus provided between the two series of elements permits the elements to be folded upon each other readily in either the open or closed position of the multi-card holder. Thus, referring first particularly to Figures 2 and 3 the elements 21 may each be folded with respect to the next adjacent element in the manner of book leaves and may be compactly arranged on the wing portion 39 as indicated in Figure 1; when the elements 23 have been similarly folded on the portion 41, the holder may be closed the one series of elements overlying the other, the spacing indicated at 57 providing for facile folding with a minimum of stress on the material at the folded lines.

Since the retainer 15 is completely transparent, cards may be viewed from either side A or side B of the pass card elements as indicated in Figure 3; the spacing between the elements in the open position facilitates folding one series of elements completely over upon the other series, and since the wing portions 39, 41 are free of the Figures 6 and 7 are respectively elevational and plan views illustrating a further modification of the structure of invention.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly Figures 1-3, inclusive, the numeral 1 generally indicates a multicard holder having a backing or backing member 3 provided with a tongue portion 5. Tongue portion 5 and the rearward side 7 of the backing member are provided with cooperating clasp elements 9, 11 forming a snap fastener.

The longitudinally extending backing member 3 is also provided transversely thereof, substantially midway between its ends, with a fold line indicated at 13.

Secured to the backing member 3 (Figure 1) is a pass card retainer indicated generally at 15. Retainer 15 is preferably formed of a transparent sheet of plastic, such as a vinyl, folded upon itself longitudinally, that is, folded at its lower edge 17 (Figure 4); the upper edges 19 (Figures 3 and 4) are sealed together transversely. The folded sheet 15 comprises (Figures 2 and 4) two opposed parallel extending series of pass card retaining elements 21 and 23; flexible integral hinged connections 25 border adjacent elements 21 and secure the elements together in series in the direction of the sheet length. Similar hinged connections 27 secure the elements 23 together. Also the fold at 17 is suitably welded to seal the sheet portions together at the bottom.

The pass card-elements 21 are open at 29 for the receipt therein of pass cards as at 31; the elements 23 are open at 33 for the receipt therein of pass cards as at 35.

backing except at the transverse connection this may be effected without the backing.

Referring now to Figure 5 there is illustrated therein a modification of the structure of Figures 1-4, inclusive; in this figure corresponding parts have the same numerals as in the prior figures. In the arrangement of Figure 5 the pass card elements extend in both directions from the wing portions 39, 41 one series of elements being indicated at 21' and the other series at 23'. The elements 21' are secured to the portion 39 by an electronic weld at 47' and the elements 23 are secured to the portion 41 by an electronic weld at 49'; the elements 21' are secured to each other by a weld at 25' and the elements 23 are secured to each other by a weld at 27'.

The arrangement of Figure 5 is advantageous in that the card elements need not extend as far from the backing in order to expose to view the same number of cards.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, a modification of the means for securing the pass card retainer to the backing member 3 is shown. Backing member 3 in this instance has a fold line at 13 and the fold is provided with apertures through which opposed upstanding ends of a rearward portion 59 of a clip extend. The clip is provided with a removable forward portion 61 (Figure 7).

Wing portions 39, 41 (Figure :7) have a transverse integral hinge connection securing the same together and at the fold the connection is also apertured to receive therethrough the upstanding portions 63, 65 of the clip extending through the backing member. This arrangement permits removal ,of and replacement of the pass card retainer as a whole.

While vinyl is preferred as the material of the pass card retainer, since it combines advantages of thinness,

3 ease of manufacture and transparency as a whole, it is to be understoodthat the structure of invention may be produced of other materials, particularly combinations of opaque and transparent materials. -Most suitably the backing is also of vinyl, although leather and othersuch materials are within the contemplation of the invention.

The multi-card holder may be used by itself or in conjunction with wallets, billfolds and other card cases and may be secured to the same by simply drawing tongue 5, for example, over and under a fixed portion of the wallet or other article and securing the snap fastener.

Also additional pass card elements may be provided and wing portions may be provided which are slidable into a pocket or pockets of a billfold, wallet or card case to be relcasably retained thereby.

It is also to be noted with respect to the formation of the retainer 15 that the same may be effected by superpqsing sheets of plastic and sealing the same together to form the retainer rather \than employing a single folding sheet.

A series of reverse folds defining, for example, the element 21 are then formed in the product by welding together in a manner similar to that already noted hereinbefore.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order toadapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A multi-card holder comprising a longitudinally extending backing member provided with a transverse fold line, means secured to the backing member only at the fold line and having wing portions extending on each side thereof longitudinally on the backing member, said wing portions each comprising a transparent plastic pass card element, a series of other pass 'card elements each of transparent plastic hingedly connected to each of the wing portion pass card elements and extending from the wing portions in both directions transversely of the'backing member, each of said series of card elements being foldable upon itself in the direction of its length, the elements of one series being spaced laterally from the elements of the other series and adapted to overlie the elements of the other series in the closed position of the card holder, all of the pass card elements being viewable fromzboth sides.

. 2. A multi-card holder comprising, in combination, a longitudinally extending backing member and a pass card retainer, the retainer being a transparent integral sheet comprising two opposed series of pass card elements, the elements of each series having flexible hinged connections therebetween and one element of one series having a flexible connection with an opposed element of the other series, said latter connection defining a fold line of the retainer, the backing'member having a transverse fold line corresponding with that of the retainer,

each of said series of card elements being foldable upon itself and in the direction of its length, the .backing member and retainer being secured together only at the fold line so that all the pass card elements are viewable from each side, the remaining elements of the two series being spaced apart and each series being foldable one over the other, one pass card element of each series extending from the fold line longitudinally of and overlying the backing member.

3. In a multi-card holder, a pass card retainer comprising a transparent integral sheet folded upon itself in the direction of its length and sealed at the top and bottom and comprising two opposed, parallel extending series of pass cardelements, flexible hinged integral connections bordering adjacent elements of a series securing the elements of each series together in the direction of sheet length, one element of one series having a transverse flexible hinged integral connection to an opposed element 4 of the other series, and the folded'sheet being cut out lengthwise between the two series of elements from the transverse connection.

4. In a multi-card holder, a pass card retainer comprising a transparent integral sheet folded upon itself in the direction of its length and sealed at the top and bottom and comprising two opposed, parallel extending series of pass card elements, flexible hinged integral connections bordering adjacent elements of a series securing the elements of each series together in the direction of sheet length ,one element of one series having a transverse flexible hinged integral connection to an opposed element of the other series, and the folded sheet being cut out lengthwise between the two series of elements from the transverse connection, the sheet edges bordering the cutout being sealed to close the pass card elements.

5. In a multi-card holder, a pass card retainer comprising a transparent integral sheet folded upon itself in the direction of its length and sealed transversely, the folded sheet comprising two opposed parallel extending series of pass card elements, flexible integral hinged connections of the sheet bordering adjacent elements of a series securing the elements of each series together in the direction of sheet length, an upper element of one series having an integral, transverse flexible hinged connection with the upper opposed element of the other series, and the folded sheet having a cutout portion from a lower edge lengthwise between the two series of elements extending to the transverse connection, the sheet edges bordering the cutout portion being sealed to close the pass card elements.

6. In a multi-card holder, a pass card retainer comprising a transparent sheet folded upon itself in the direction of its length and sealed at the top and bottom and comprising two opposed, parallel extending series of pass card elements, flexible hinged connectionsbordering adjacent elements of a series securing the elements of each series together in the direction of sheet length, at least one element of one series having a transverse flexible hinge connection to an opposed element of the other series, and said folded sheet being open lengthwise between the two series of elements except at said trans-- verse flexible hinged connections.

7. In a multi-card holder, a pass card retainer comprising a plurality of elongated flexible strips which are provided with a series of pass card elements spaced longitudinally of said strips, said pass card elements having a transparent wall for viewing the contents thereof, said strips being foldable upon themselves at their flexible strip portions between adjacent pass card elements, and said plurality of strips being hingedly united by a transversely extending flexible strip portion with the remainder of said strips being.free and unattached whereby said strips may be independently manipulated 'to folded and unfolded position.

8. A multi-card holder comprising a longitudinally extending backing provided with a transverse fold line,

means including pass card elements comprising transparent plastic envelopes hingedly connected in series on each side of the fold line secured to the backing at the fold line and being foldable upon themselves in the direction of their length, the elements of one series being adapted to unfold and extend transversely from the card holder in parallel spaced apart relation with the elements of the other series in the open position of the card holder, one pass card element of each series overlying the backing and extending longitudinally thereon from the transverse fold line and all pass card elements being viewable from both sides.

9. A multi-card holder comprising a longitudinally extending single ply backing provided with a transverse fold line, a foldableseries of pass card elements comprising transparent plastic envelopes on each side of the fold line and spaced apart from each other, each series being secured to the backing only at the fold line and the elements of each series being hingedly connected together and being foldable upon themselves in the direction of their length to form the series, the elements of one of the series in the open position of the card holder being adapted to unfold and extend in parallel spaced relation with the unfolded elements of the other series, one pass card element of each series overlying the backing and extending longitudinally thereon from the transverse fold line and all pass card elements being viewable from both sides.

10. A multi-card holder comprising a longitudinally extending backing member provided with a transverse fold line, means secured to the backing only at the fold line and having transparent plastic envelope wing portions extending on each side thereof logitudinally on the backing and the wing portions being spaced apart from each other, pass card elements also comprising transparent plastic envelopes hingedly connected to each of the wing portions and to each other, the pass card elements of each wing portion being secured together in series and adapted to extend in unfolded relation transversely from the backing member in the open position of the holder and being foldable upon themselves in the direction of their length, the elements of one series being parallel to and spaced from the elements of another cries in said open position, said means secured to the backing being integral with said plastic wing portions, and all of the said transparent envelopes including those of the wing portions being viewable from either side. i 30 11. A multi-card holder comprising a longitudinally extending backing member provided with a transverse fold line, means secured to the backing member only at the fold line and having transparent plastic envelope wing portions extending on each side thereof longitudinally on the backing and the wing portions being spaced apart from each other, said wing portions having substantially parallel lower edges and the wing portions lying wholly within the backing member, pass card elements also comprising transparent plastic envelopes, means comprising a plurality of flexible integral hinge connections securing a series of pass card elements to each of the lower edges of the wing portions, the hinged elements of each series being foldable upon themselves in the direction of their length and adapted to unfold in the open position of the holder and to extend transversely from the backing member in parallel spaced apart relation with another series, said means secured to the backing member being integral with said transparent plastic wing portions, and all of said transparent envelopes including those of the wing portions being viewable from either side.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,948,191 Shoemaker Feb. 20, 1934 2,431,472 Fistell Nov. 25, 1947 2,493,409 Knee Ian. 3, 1950 2,634,777 Berger Apr. 14, 1953 2,732,875 Martin Ian. 31, 1956 

